October 7, 2026
Reliance Partners Joins UTC’s John “Art” Phillips Sales Institute as a Corporate Partner
Reliance Partners is proud to join the John “Art” Phillips Sales Institute at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Gary W. Rollins College of Business as a gold-level corporate partner. We’re the fourth company to join at that level, one of just five spots available.
The partnership gives us a direct way to invest in the next generation of sales talent, right here in the city where Reliance got its start.
A Hometown Partnership
Reliance Partners was founded in Chattanooga in 2009. Since then, we’ve grown into one of the nation’s leading insurance brokerages for the transportation and logistics industry, with offices coast to coast, a 10th appearance on the Inc. 5000 list, and a #52 ranking on Insurance Journal’s 2026 Top 100 Property/Casualty Agencies list.
We got here by listening first, showing up prepared, and going the Extra Mile for every customer we serve. Those are the same habits the Sales Institute builds in its students, which made this partnership a natural fit.
The connection to UTC is personal, too. Our CEO and Founder, Andrew Ladebauche, earned his business finance degree at UTC.
“Reliance Partners was built on a simple idea: the best salespeople aren’t just selling a product; they’re going the extra mile for the person across the table. That’s the Reliance way, and it’s what the John ‘Art’ Phillips Sales Institute is teaching its sales students. As a UTC graduate, I know the caliber of people this university produces and we believe investing in these students is one of the smartest moves we can make. They’ll drive our business and this industry forward, and we can’t wait to see what they accomplish.”
Andrew Ladebauche, CEO and Founder, Reliance Partners
What the Partnership Looks Like
As a gold-level partner, our team will work directly with UTC sales students through:
- Internships that put students to work alongside our producers and account teams
- Mentoring from Reliance sales leaders
- Job shadowing for an inside look at a day in professional sales
- Classroom engagement with our team sharing real-world experience
- Full-time recruiting after graduation
Transportation insurance is one of the fastest-growing sectors in professional selling. We’re excited to give UTC students real experience in it, and to welcome some of them onto our team down the road.
Thank You, UTC
A big thank you to the John “Art” Phillips Sales Institute and the Gary W. Rollins College of Business for the warm welcome, and to everyone who joined us for the recognition event. We’re looking forward to the road ahead together. Go Mocs!
Read UTC’s announcement: Reliance Partners signs on as Gold-Level Partner of John “Art” Phillips Sales Institute
Learn more about the Sales Institute: John “Art” Phillips Sales Institute at UTC
